


What if Kung Jin never met Raiden and instead...

by A Carnegie (RavenElele), RavenElele



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Erron Black/Kung Jin, Kung Jin POV, M/M, Third Person POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 05:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4907248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenElele/pseuds/A%20Carnegie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenElele/pseuds/RavenElele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Kung Jin never met Raiden at the temple five years ago?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Five Years Ago

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the characters or the video games.  
> I wrote this in third person POV but it's completely centered on Kung Jin and lets his mind into the narrative at times.

Thunder made for his cover as the young man snuck to the thunder god's temple. Rain and lightening did not, he thought, feeling his clothes stick to his body in the dampness. He paused at the door and sighed. He should be past his own moral interrogation by now, but a voice inside of him still questioned what he was about to do. Theft was obviously wrong and punishable by law. Why did he even let himself come this far? But then the world was inherently illogical anyways, so JUST focus on the valuable items, King Jin. It would be over before the blink of an eye--the act of theft would, but not the rage and depression that fueled his doings, which Kung Jin at the moment believed would never subside.

With an unsettling crack the door opened to Jin's touch. Kung Jin kept his eyes down on the ground and ran to the end of the room. At once he spotted the family heirloom, the one his parents gave Lord Raiden to honor his cousin Kung Lao. Kung Lao was the true descendent of the Great Kung Lao who made the family proud. Jin frowned, finally looking up from the ground only to be greeted by two giant portraits of young warriors no other than Kung Lao and Liu Kang. Jin's brows softened at the sight, but his nose and eyes felt funny. And there those portraits and heirlooms were, reminding him of how easily an irresponsible god could fail at protecting people and still be honored for what he had done, of how much pressure he bore because of his inferiority to some legendary cousin. He knew he was not extremely clever, brave or handsome. He had a "sinful mind" according to his teacher at school. "A criminal mind" Kung Jin wanted to add. It dawned on him that he turned into this mess not only because of his inferiority but also his inability to correct himself, but could he have helped it? No one cared, he thought. His nose twitched and his vision became misty, so to fight back the emotions he quickly grabbed the small statue of an heirloom, narrowed his eyes, knitted his brows together once more, and darted out into the rain.

As Kung Jin ran the path leading out of Raiden's temple, he no longer cared for disguise or furtiveness. Secretly, he hoped he would be caught stealing and guided onto the (b)right track, because he knew he was now running down his own fall. But nothing of the sort happened. From the moment Jin went through the gate, he knew he could not save himself. Darkness embraced him, devouring him. Only his chakram glowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Raiden, but I figured Kung Jin probably didn't, so that was why I called him irresponsible


	2. Four Years Ago

By this time Kung Jin had settled down as a ghost in the unfamiliar village. For a year he didn't engage in work of any sort, simply switching from inn to inn, sometimes to the streets when he ran out of money, and then into new inns when he got new income. He hadn't sold the heirloom, though. He figured he brought enough out from home and stealing-selling was easy enough in this town, so he delayed selling the small artifact day after day, and now he still kept it. 

Today Kung Jin visited this bookstore ran by an old men, who Jin was somehow sorry for, observing that age brought onto him several mental complications. Jin never bought anything, because then he would have a hard time choosing which ones to leave behind every time he moved, but he frequented the store to read, so he doubted whether the old man knew him. It didn't matter, Jin said to himself, a ghost resident had a right to read, too. After all, he never stole from there. Along with practicing archery and chakram, reading was his biggest hobby. Books taught him history, art, science, mathematics, weaponry, and most importantly, about mysterious realms. Outworld, for one, and the Netherrealm. Not that he believed he would ever visit these places one day.

As Jin sat down on the second floor, leaning against the the window with some adventure in his hands, he felt the sun shine through the glass, creep down his back, light up his legs, and aromatize even the wooden walls. He hadn't felt so good and peaceful for a while. Jin remembered when he was young he was fascinated hearing and reading about the Shaolin. He used to picture himself one of the warrior monks under that sunlight, and his entire extended family wanted to put him in touch with the Shaolin, until they heard of him kissing a boy at school. Jin shook the memory out of his head and went back to focus on the hero in his book. The typical redeemed sinner. A hooded justice. Not that Jin believed in this in real life.

And now the hero became a soldier in battle. The author was so good at depicting the warfare that Jin could almost smell smoke...wait. Kung Jin closed his book. It was a real fire. He couldn't believe his own eyes, but well, wooden architecture had its dangers. He glanced over to find the entire first floor and the foot of the flight of stairs on fire, and was quick to get to his feet by the window. He turned the handle, pushed the window open, and deftly climbed back onto the ground. Common thief knowledge came in handy, Kung Jin thought, only slightly proud of himself.

Jin now went back to the front door. Was the owner in there? On the third floor! He was waving for help. Jin searched for a way to climb up, but a yell reached him first. "狗娘养的 (Son of a bitch) I tolerated you the entire time. Had I known you were planning to set fire to my house I would have fed you to my dogs first. No wonder it looked like you were always making vain visits here!" "Wha... Sir, I did not set fire to this place. Let me help you down first" Kung Jin tentatively stepped onto a wooden bar along the side wall of the house. Just when he lifted his body up, he heard the old man shout again "Who knows what you are going to do to me once you're up I am helping myself" A loud thud followed. Jin froze.

Shit.

He jumped. He was dead. A crowd was gathering. Smoke and fire were growing. Repelled eyes were directed his way. Jin had to run.

He covered as much of his face as he can with the blue hoodie. With one last look at the crowd he spotted a overly calm man with a twisted face, sighed, and ran in the opposite direction.

By night, Kung Jin could not tell his location. He only knew he was well into a bamboo forest. Around him, every direction was the same: every bamboo, every leaf and every pebble. Desperate, Kung Jin did not know how to feel about the portal glowing in his sight. He always thought portals were part of the made-up Outworld stories. Never did he---

Swoosh.

Kung Jin stepped through the portal, which promptly closed behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a random town, a random old man and a random arsonist  
> Orz


	3. Three Years Ago

The portal did deliver him to Outworld, but Kung Jin did not bother to find a way back to Earthrealm. All those volumes about Outworld were real. One year ghosting around the place taught him the dangers of living in political turmoil, so Jin figured it was time to stop living in hide, get a job and begin a proper life here.

Today Jin was heading to Outworld's largest public library, his first stop for a job interview. He wondered whether the interviewer would believe his story. He was sucked into a portal and couldn't find his way back, but he was a good person. He wanted to contribute to the community... Ah what if he/she questioned his past? He was at school. He was not expelled of course not. He loved visiting libraries and the position of an archive manager...

"Mmph!" "Watch it skinny!" "I'm sorry!" "You're not from here, skinny. An alien intruder!" "I came from a random portal for the Elder Gods' sake!" "Ferra's had a bad day. You making trouble, skinny? Well trouble make you!"

Before he knew it Kung Jin was in a fight with this silver-haired little girl...riding on the back of a man with hige build? Jin was grateful he decided to bring the bow, arrows and chakram with him. He could never be too defensive out here.

Moments later Jin gave up the defense stance and charged. His had no idea where this pair--Ferra and Torr--came from, but they surely were his match. He was a thief, not a trained warrior, for the Elder Gods' sake! It was hard enough, but Jin managed to pin Torr to the ground and grab Ferra's swinging fists at last.

Nearby, someone cleared his throat. "Not bad, junior"

"What, you know them? And you didn't help me out?" Kung Jin was speaking in between heavy breaths. He turned his head to see this man in Western outfit. A million nicknames ran through his mind: Cowboy, raccoon eyes, panda face, red bandana, sexy voice, sexy...no, he was not going there. Ferra and Torr took the time to push Kung Jin back to the ground and move to the cowboy's side.

The cowboy spoke again. His voice was muffled by the mask but that didn't detract from his sexine...no! "We work for the emperor, Kotal Kahn. I know your looks. You are from Earthrealm." he narrowed his eyes "State your business, including a reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"I was, until I came through this portal and accidentally engaged myself in kombat. I mean no ill against the emperor's reign." "Did you expect me to believe you" it sounded more like a statement than a question. The cowboy pulled out his gun.

At the sight of the gun, Kung Jin pulled his own improvisation trigger "You're here for work; in fact, so am I. I was sent by Earthrealm for an appointment with Kotal Kahn. My former employers wanted to hunt Mileena down for their reasons. They were an underground organization in Earthrealm, but Kotal Kahn himself approved of the private allegiance."

The cowboy raised an eyebrow.

"You can kill me now, but..."Jin betted on eloquence, "if I am telling the truth, you could get a paycut, or worse." He made a step forward, trying to look cool but trembling inside, "You take me to the Kahn; I'll tell him you took me down. You might get a bonus. You can't lose."

The cowboy sighed, "Follow me."

"You still look like an outlaw in every way, junior" The cowboy suddenly turned around.

"You look more like an outlaw than I do" Jin mumbled as he turned back.

"What did you say, junior?"

"Nothing. I said thank you." Jin tried to flash a smile.


	4. Two Years Ago

Kung Jin was beginning to get used to his new role. He was surprised at the amount of Chinese elements he could get out of Outworld markets. When he had the right colors, patterns and materials, he made himself a new set of armor. It felt right for him. So did everything else here, Kotal Kahn's regime, the burning sun, Erron Black...Erron Black? Well...At least things were getting better and better.  
Erron Black is the cowboy's name. Come to think of it, he played a big part in securing Jin in his new life. He remembered being brought by Erron into Kotal Kahn’s exotic palace one year ago. That afternoon, the emperor questioned Kung Jin's identity. While Erron tried to keep up his cool in each answer, Jin himself was listening in behind the pillars. Sensing that the exchange between the king and his apt gunslinger was sliding into an interrogation, Jin felt his heart sink and his body grow stiff, as if his death sentence were already announced—after all, who would believe a story made up by a random Earthrealm “boy”? Jin stayed dead until he heard them slow down. “He did manage to take down Ferra and Torr”…“No, emperor, I do not believe in his bullshit story either, but”…“He reminded me of my first months in Outworld and when your majesty allowed me to work at your service”…“Of course, I will take full responsibility”…Jin blushed like mad at each of the cowboy’s words and it did not fade when Kotal Kahn personally assigned him to his new position in Outworld’s royal force, expressing a wish for him to make use of his talent. He later met Erron Black again, but before he could say thank you he received a raccoon-eyed glare and some sort of threat: “If you attempt anything out of the line I’ll shove lead up your ass so fast you won’t know what hit you”. Something like that. Jin would never admit that despite how Erron spoke to him in his face he cried himself to sleep in happiness that night.  
Daily work as an Outworld guardian was fulfilling nowadays. Jin usually went on patrol, and on busier days he took on missions of investigation or assassination. Pay was satisfying, too. He still shuddered every time he saw an execution, but he made sure he never showed more than a slight flinch in front of his colleagues—they were an interesting group of people, but he still couldn't trust his past and fears to them. Besides Erron, there were Ferra/Torr, the pair he tried to get along with, Reptile, the lone Zeterran warrior he secretly sympathized with, D’Vorah, the Kytinn he usually shunned, and Ermac, the soul rock-star he respected. None of them was his kind. Nonetheless he was grateful. With them he felt needed and valued for the first time in his life. Imperceptible tracks and deadly arrows earned him a sound reputation. Jin appreciated it.  
Erron was probably closest to him. Sometimes the Kahn made them partners at work, although they apparently hated each other. Sparring between them was always hyper-intense and personal, and on occasions like today, when they were probing into one of the rebel army’s gathering locations, they.could.not.stop.attacking.each.other.with.words. Jin was aware of the fact that he took on certain habits of his family—he grew up hearing comments about him sharing facial expressions and language preferences with his cousin, and had the luck to witness for himself the similarity in earlier years—so in Outworld he expected himself to be a king of sass, until Erron toppled all of that. Jin was glad in a way, because he was no longer alone ☺


	5. One Year Ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally started writing this chapter after tests. After thinking more about the plot, I decided to change my previous plan. Nonetheless, I still have to write about Jin and Erron going on a specific mission together. I took some time checking the comics and the games for the correct timeline, so I hope this chapter is readable, but I'm still unprofessional in aspects such as the procedure of a mission. Anyways, thank you for reading this and I hope you like it!

As always, Kung Jin felt the scorching sun characteristic of Outworld. Conducting stealth missions in broad daylight was a skill he learned and mastered at his new job post. Scuttling across street after street, Jin let his mind drift with his steps. He was quite proud of his current self: he knew Outworld like the back of his hand; he was its best archer; he was trusted by its glorious emperor, who knew of his loyalty. From his heart he admired Kotal Kahn for rising against a well-in-place system of tyranny. The Osh-Tekk warrior made the right choice at the critical moment directly following Shao Kahn’s defeat. Jin wanted to do something like that, too. Changing people’s minds about a certain group of authority, becoming the representation of decisive righteousness or something. Just for once. To be honest, he had a chance four years ago. Aand he blew it. Well. Jin sometimes wondered what his family would think if they knew of his life now, but with each passing day he anticipated their reprehensions less and less and regarded them as his family less and less.  
Crouch. Time to get down to his work. Kung Jin put his back to the wall and scanned around the corner. To his surprise, he identified no trailing tails. He turned his head back to check, but there really was no enemy except for…Jin heard a sound from behind and quickly shifted to his front.  
Nothing. Suspicious, Jin stretched his bow and glanced around once more to find…  
“Erron Black! For the Elder God’s sake, cut it out, will you?” With no one else around, Jin dropped the blasé disguise and showed concern for the mission. The cowboy must have seen how knotted his brows were.  
“And who said we should be absolutely quiet this time?” The said man raised one eyebrow to challenge his younger partner, amused by the way Jin wanted to curse but had to keep his voice down. Clearly used to the routine, the young man rolled his eyes and continued towards the fortress.  
Jin went high and Erron went low. While his partner diverted the guards’ attention with a few bullet tricks, the archer stabilized his hook arrow and in mere seconds retrieved it on the other side of the wall. He wasn’t in a hurry to get to ground level, not because he trusted Erron to do his part well or his stomach still fluttered whenever he was around the Outworld outlaw, but because…because in a fortress it was more efficient to go high-and-low compared with going back-to-back. Obviously!  
As he carefully got around the higher places Kung Jin kept his eyes open for any new clues. He and Erron were here today to investigate one of Mileena’s largest and best-guarded rebel bases. Unlike open fights, secret searches were never exactly Kotal Kahn’s strength, so the emperor left his two former-Earthrealmers in charge of gathering all valuable intel from the fortress before the imperial invasion soon to come. Jin considered the task a test of his abilities. Personally he wanted to invest in the project, too. When he was still roaming in China he did a favor or two for his old master Bo’ Rai Cho. It was even before the idea to steal and run emerged, when he was stealing for employers with a good cause and at least hoping that they were as justified as they were convincing, a little like what he’s doing now. Anyways, there was one time where he got something for old Bo’ Rai Cho and the real client turned out to be Sub-Zero, grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. The reason Sub-Zero wanted what he got was an aftermath of the darkest stage of the Outworld Civil War. For all Jin knew—thanks to the incomplete records and the emperor’s avoidance of the topic—cosmically dangerous powers were released with the help of daggers and amulets, making up an external force that almost shattered Outworld from within.  
It was still deadly silent when blood was spilled. Kung Jin’s arrows got two Tarkatan guards from behind, going through their throats. Thus opened the doors to one of the archives in the base. Dark, humid, files sorted chronologically, everything seemed in place. Jin pulled out a few recent scrolls. They were blank, but only until he took out a red bottle and meticulously lay a few drops of its colorless fluid content on the parchment. The red bottle contained a rare yet inexpensive Outworldian skincare product Jin purchased at a random stall for this specific purpose. It wasn’t the original match for any of the rebels’ invisible inks, but it was good enough to give words written in all inks a dim glow. Deciphering the messages, Jin figured out a conversation between Mileena and her newest assassin—an unreliable one, if it was up to Jin to judge. Apparently this person was to find Shinnok’s amulet and “return it” to “the Khanum” while the said queen stayed in her realm to quell its rebellion. Once the magical piece of jewelry is in her hands, this person would fulfill the last item on their contract and extract pay as well as a night in the queen’s…Jin didn’t feel the need to read further. The skincare ink-resolver was drying up, too. All he wanted to know now were the assassin’s name and the last item. Reviving corrupt powers? Killing Kotal Kahn? Starting riots in royal courts? He deduced a contract start date and made a tentative reach for the corresponding scroll only to find…  
The floor shift away, making him fall.  
Within the split seconds of his descent, Kung Jin heard a call. No room for thinking, Jin obeyed the voice and shot a deviated hook arrow in the ground, this time to pull away from sharp spikes inches beneath him.  
As soon as he landed, out of breath with his back towards the bloodstained rusty spikes, Jin wanted to punch himself for being so careless. Of course, the sound he heard this morning wasn’t Erron Black but a tracking spy landing from a wall and taking a hide. Why else would the best-guarded rebel base be so easily breached? They were set up. However, he doubted whether it was part of the trap for him to actually read the scrolls. Now he hoped with all his heart what he just heard wasn’t an illusion. He hoped desperately for it to be the real, flesh-and-blood, “Erron Black!” He couldn’t suppress a shout.  
“Shut up, Junior.” Even in the dark Jin knew it was him, but before he could let out a sigh of relief, shaking hands grabbed his shoulders, disseminating a fear he had never sensed in his usually cool partner. “That’s enough hollering in this damn fortress.”  
“What?” Jin’s whisper shook too.  
A low, loud, toothy growl.  
“Please tell me that was you” Jin shut his eyes.  
A long, salivary, hungry growl followed by dramatic nostril-flaring.  
“Come with me” Erron took Jin’s wrist to lead them on a run from the monster currently screeching and scratching. Jin glanced back once to find for the first time glowing orange eyes with long narrow pupils—Mileena’s eyes. Everything else was barely visible but judging from the size of its teeth Jin and Erron should easily have their heads bitten off if they ever stop.  
“Junior, junior! Stop looking at that motherfucker!...Flash arrow to where you fell. There’s a good chance dumb-ass mofo would go for it and hit spikes on its way down”  
“No! If we kill the monster they’ll know we got away, and whatever information we got today will be useless!”  
“Are you out of your freaking mind? If you die here you’re taking everything six feet under all the same, and I don’t know…”  
They ran into a wall. Promptly ducking got them a lucky escape from the thing’s bite. Jin was sure it had quasi-Tarkatan jaws. Erron stood first and the two started in another direction.  
“How big is this place?” Jin’s mind searched for a better plan.  
“Not very, but now that the thing’s out of its nest we could take a chance there. If people don’t fall from upstairs every day, there’s gotta be another feeding tube.” Erron’s voice was calm once again, leaving Jin in doubt for one second.  
“Right, great. And when we’re done throw in a couple of guards, too. That’ll be enough to feed the thing and leave bones for the rebels to see. They wouldn’t go so far as to check what species bones those are. Just make sure we never stop. Hey Black—woah” Jin’s head went blank for a moment and immediately realized that he was on the ground, under Erron Black’s weight. “Erron Black you’re all bruised and wounded why didn’t you tell me soone…Oh shit my fault my fault my fault I promise I’ll get you out of here or die trying.”  
Kung Jin got up and felt along the walls at top speed. Finding a portal, he tried to haul his partner over. The dragon-like monster’s steps and screams were closing in.  
“Kung Jin, go.” It suddenly occurred to Jin how Erron was concerned with his safety and decided to sacrifice himself.  
“No, sir.” Kung Jin wanted to cry and hit himself but couldn’t afford doing either on the spot.  
“NOW”  
“GET INSIDE!” Jin managed to push Erron in. “Not leaving without you” he added quickly and quietly.  
The pair crawled along fast enough the raging beast only made a few shallow marks, first teeth then claws, on Jin’s legs. They climbed blindly up the inclined tunnel until Jin reached inside one of Erron’s belt holsters, loaded the spare gun, shot the metal door open and pushed them both into open space. The two unlucky guards who heard them went down the tube in the blink of an eye. Jin closed the metal door in swift motion. When he returned to examine the cowboy he was finally aware of salty wetness on his lips, but he couldn’t tell if it was sweat or tears.  
“Erron I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have…”  
“Shut up, Jin. You saved my ass.” Jin could sense a smile under Erron’s bandana, which only made the archer’s nose more sour. “Still…” Erron waited for Jin to look up. “Fuck you.” Jin almost laughed. “Let’s get out of here.” Erron nodded and let Jin help him evacuate from enemy territory.  
Mission was accomplished. No more setups or trailing tails. The emperor rewarded Erron and Jin and had the medical team take care of their injuries, then formed groups to work on both Mileena’s deal and the suspicious Tarkatan-engineered beast. At night, Jin struggled between going to Erron for a long-wanted talk and leaving the matter for a few days more. Ultimately he took an absent-minded stroll so long he passed any reasonable time to knock on someone’s door. With a sigh, Jin started on his way back when he spotted Erron Black standing right there on a pile of rocks eyeing him.  
“Whatya sighing for, Junior?”  
“I was too careless to spot the trap. I ignored you and made our escape extremely dangerous. I’m really sorry I messed up.”  
“Uh…apology accepted. But as much as I enjoy seeing you all sincere and guard-down, you honestly didn’t do anything wrong today. We both double checked at the gate. There was no way we could have seen it coming. I was beat up by Tarkatans, true, but you stuck to good mission practice. You just softened when you saw me lying there, but you managed to get us both out at the end of the day, even though we could have easily become two courses in a motherfucking lunch. If anything, Junior, I should thank you. So quit blaming yourself ‘cause I ain’t repeatin’ what I just said.”  
Erron’s slow, casual speech effectively shut Jin up. Before he realized what he was doing, Jin reached out to hug his partner, three years’ memories flooding his head. Hesitantly, Erron returned the gesture. Jin felt warm. Not hot or craving but warm. It just felt right.  
“I’m not sure if I should, but there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.” Erron pulled away and said tenderly.  
“Yeah?” Jin’s eyes widened. Is his long-wanted talk coming to him? He always had a crush on this particular outlaw. Over time it only got deeper and deeper despite the flaws (“err”s) he discovered in Erron.  
“Junior…Your hair’s down.”  
“Huh?”  
Kung Jin snapped awake from his dreamy state. “Oh, the uh hairband…must have slipped somewhere in the cave.”  
“You ever considered just leaving it down?”  
“Just leaving—Are you kidding me? Back where I came from that’s one sign of moral degeneration, unless you’re too old and respectable to be called that. I tried it once, but I think they talked behind my talk more because I’m…than because of my hairstyle…” Erron was right about him letting his guard down. Jin kept blabbering until he remembered he was with a colleague and not in Earthrealm anymore, “Well, but since this is Outworld, I guess I can give it a try.”  
“Hum…” Erron narrowed his eyes. Unknown to Kung Jin, it was just to hide a smile. “Maybe. You’d look great, but then again, you always do.”  
Jin wondered if Erron was out of character or he just gave Jin another compliment other than the usual “nice job”.  
Erron, on the other hand, patted Jin’s shoulder and left.  
“G’night, Jin.”  
“Good night…Erron”  
Forgiveness. Space. Companionship. What else could Jin ask for now? He seemed to have everything here in Outworld. With each passing day he was less on an escape and more just exploring his limits while living in his new exotic home.  
As it turned out, he waited less than a year to hear Erron Black whisper in his ear “Kung Jin…I love you.”


	6. This Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I assumed that Tanya's personal ending was canon. The SF team also came in a bit later than in the game.

War was more intense than ever. Kotal Kahn, Mileena, Special Forces (with the help from gods) and Shinnok made up four forces fighting over the amulet. Kung Jin could handle the workload. What shocked him was the change in people. It was one thing to read about relationships in war and another to experience it. Mileena’s pillar was the first to fall. The half-Tarkatan clone queen was killed; her dearest Tanya gave Rain's location to the Osh-Tekk and fled; Rain, self-named prince of Edenia, was used by Tanya like a worthless coin and burned to death, his glory by Mileena's side long gone. D'Vorah betrayed them to Raiden...or so they thought until they found her in Shinnok's service. Erron Black, his boyfriend and insider to the Blood Ties/Blood Gods/Blood Island incidents, finally told him all about those years last night, leaving him sleepless beside his partner. And today, he met the Special Forces squad of 4.  
It wasn’t a pleasant encounter. Jin inadvertently put on a mean attitude in the face of strangers again. Doing too much background research and sleeping little the night before did not help, either. Comments like “The Reiko Accords is an unaggression (dramatic tone) pact. Outworld is not and will never be an ally to Earthrealm” and “Don’t feel sorry if you don’t get you want here—I’m sure your parents will eventually understand if capabilities do skip generations.” might as well be replaced by red letters “ARROGANT ASSHOLE” painted on his forehead. And no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t help squinting condescendingly at the Shaolin representative. It could have been him. Jin regarded the squad with despise. But at the same time, he desperately wanted to help these interesting kids and befriend them. After all, they’re of his age. And they came from Earthrealm.  
There were some negotiations, fights and rhetoric, and at the end of the day Kotal Kahn decided that it was best to lock the Kombat Kids up. Jin followed orders. Nonetheless, in the middle of the night he stole the keys and strolled down to the prison cells himself.  
Once he was down there Jin kept quiet and moved forward with caution. It didn’t take him long to reach a spot where he could listen in on the prisoners’ conversations without exposing himself.  
Jin’s speculation was correct. This squad, put together more poorly than pieces from different puzzles, was on their first mission. Cassie Cage grew up basked in the love of both of her parents. Jacqui Briggs had a happy family and a father who saw her as the apple of his eye. Takeda Takahashi eventually reconciled with his father and learned his amazing skills. And that Shaolin guy…he was the most spoiled of them all. Jin’s hands clutched into fists before he knew it. He had people expect things of him as he grew up, true, but those expectations originated from unrealistic dreams, ultimately weighing him down to the bottom of a suffocating sea. They wanted him to be the second Kung Lao. Had they forgotten that Kung Lao always lived in his friend’s shadow until he sacrificed his life for Earthrealm? After that he had no time for glory.  
It struck him that Kung Lao’s path would likely become his if he joined the Kombat kids years ago. He would have become what they wanted him to be, a glorious hero but at the same time a soul-less pawn and servant, his god rulers and his people ever criticizing him and unable to care less until their own lives are imminently at stake.  
Here in Outworld it is a wild world indeed, but at least he could keep his soul. It was ironic how, working alongside colleagues like soul-master Ermac and occasionally aware of corrupting destructive beings such as Shinnok, Kung Jin felt safe. He may die one day on a mission, in combat or otherwise, but he would have lived out his originality, however stained that may be. And there’s people like Erron Black...well there’s only ever one of him. To this Kung Jin he beats all of those little brats put together. This is the man he always returns to, because he knows that his partner respects him for who he is, and that this surprisingly rare respect is mutual. Thus before dawn Jin went back to Erron’s room to find a slightly bored ex-mercenary sitting up in the bed. Apparently he had been sitting like this for more than an hour. There was some small bickering. Jin apologized, and Erron pulled him into his arms and back into sleep.  
Why did Jin ever even think of returning to Earthrealm?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this far! This is my first fanfic in Mortal Kombat and the reason I wrote it was the lack of popularity of Mortal Kombat around me. If you like it I'm really glad and I'd be more thrilled if you'd like to throw in a comment or two on...not necessarily the work but Mortal Kombat. Any random thing like "Sub-Zero is the coolest" is awesome.


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